Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (レイトン教授と悪魔の箱, Reiton-kyōju to Akuma no Hako), although known as Professor Layton and Pandora's Box in Europe and Australia, is the second game in the Professor Layton series but the first from last in the series chronologically. It is followed by Professor Layton and the Unwound Future which is the last in the series chronologically but the second released Professor Layton game. The game's story follows the elusive Elysian Box (Pandora's Box) and the unraveling of its deadly myth.

Contents

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is an action and puzzle game. The player has the ability to move Professor Layton via arrows that appear on the Touch Screen on the Nintendo DS system console. The player can travel to a plethora of locations such as the Molentary Express and the town of Folsense which differs from its predecessor in which the player could only move about in the one town. Not only can the player complete hundreds of puzzles to help unravel the myth surrounding the city of Folsense and the location of the Elysian Box, but they can also take part in many side quests, explore many new areas, and help solve mysteries.

The puzzle menu featured in this game is extremely similar to the one seen in Professor Layton and the Curious Village. There are also many puzzle types that reappear in this game such as sliding puzzles, brain teasers, and logic puzzles. The player is presented, upon the completion a puzzle, a number of Picarats, which determines the difficulty of the puzzle and given an unlimited time in order to complete the puzzle. To aid the player in completing the puzzle with as little loss of Picarats as possible, they have the options of three hints in which they must trade one Hint Coin, in order to unlock one hint. Hint coins are, however, in limited supply and can be found in various locations in the background locales. The player also starts with 10 already at their disposal. Once the answer believed to be true has been input by either selecting the appropriate option, circling the right answer or writing it in manually, the character solving the puzzle, which is either Layton, Luke or at times Flora, will appear and reveal if the answer is right or wrong. If the answer is correct then the Picarats available will be added to the overall score, but if the answer is wrong then a set amount of Picarats will be deducted from the total and the player can attempt the puzzle again. At times players are rewarded with items and picture pieces if they get the answer correct as well as the Picarats available. If the player doesn't know the answer and does't want to guess incorrectly they can quit the puzzle at no cost and retry it later by either selecting the person that issued it or from the main menu.

When the player gets an answer right from a puzzle, they can receive either of three rewards; a hamster toy that will be collected by Luke in order to build an obstacle course that an obese hamster will have to complete in order for it to lose weight, pieces of a shattered camera that Sammy accidentally dropped and broke, or the player can receive tea ingredients to help Layton and Luke brew a perfect cup of tea so they can give it to people that they come across and meet. When all 138 puzzles have been completed in the main story, 15 additional bonus puzzles will be available for completion leading the total number of puzzles up to 153 (with the exclusion of downloadable puzzles). Like Curious Village, Diabolical Box can connect to the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi system in order to download puzzles that are released weekly. The very first unlockable puzzle was made available with the Japanese release of the game, and a new key has then been released every week since, to which the keys are released every Sunday. Two bonuses are available to those who find "The Hidden Door" which can be accessed by finding a code found in Professor Layton and the Curious Village and Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. Other bonuses include rewards such as new soundtracks, character profiles and cutscenes.

Prologue: The Elysian Box
Chapter 1: The Legendary Molentary Express
Chapter 2: The Country Village of Dropstone
Chapter 3: A Diverging Path
Chapter 4: The Phantom Town of Folsense
Chapter 5: Shadows on the Street Corner
Chapter 6: The Road to Herzen Castle
Chapter 7: An Encounter at the End of the Line

The Elysian BoxThe Elysian Box is an antique said to bring death upon any who dare open its lid. According to rumors, the box has already claimed many lives and is feared in many parts of the world. Could this strange item truly exist?

Solved

It turns out that the Elysian Box was crafted 50 years ago to carry a letter from Anton to his love, Sophia. A gas present in the material used to make the box causes hallucinations in those who open it. These visions are how the rumors of a curse began.

A Ticket with No DestinationA single ticket with no visible destination was discovered in Dr. Schrader's home. It appears to be for the Molentary Express, but where exactly is it supposed to take its owner?

Solved

The ticket was for those headed to Folsense, a destination accessible only to those riding in a particular car on the Molentary Express. It would seem that Dr. Schrader must have visited Folsense sometime before his death.

The Box's DisappearanceSomebody managed to steal the Elysian Box from Dr. Schrader's home without leaving behind a single implicating clue. Who could have made off with the box?

Solved

The villain who made off with the Elysian Box was none other than Don Paolo, brilliant scientist and self-proclaimed nemesis to Professor Layton. To find riches associated with the antique, he disguised himself as Flora and tailed Layton and Luke.

Tom's DisappearanceWhile riding on the Molentary Express, Babette's little boy, Tom, manages to disappear. If the shoe he left behind is any indication, Tom must be a very young child. Where could a child that small have wandered off to on his own?

Solved

It turns out that Tom isn't a child, as was thought originally, but rather Babette's pet dog. It would seem that Babette's affection for Tom is so deep that she considers him to be much more than just a pet.

KatiaKatia is the daughter of Dropstone's most influential man, Mr. Anderson, and has boarded the Molentary Express. Several villagers came to see her off, yet she travels alone. Where is Katia headed, and why is she making the journey there by herself?

Solved

Katia is the granddaughter of Sophia and Anton. Katia set out for Folsense to make sure that Anton understood Sophia's true feelings and reasons for leaving.

The Dilapidated StationMinutes after Professor Layton, Luke, and Flora's arrival in Folsense, the run-down station transforms into a gleaming, ornately decorated building right before their eyes. What caused the sudden change to the station's appearance?

Solved

The hallucinogenic gas present in Folsense's air caused Layton and the others to imagine the station as it was in the many photographs lining the corridor leading out of the building.

Beluga's SearchBeluga seems to be working Sammy like a dog, sending him all over town in a frantic search for some unknown item. It's unclear why Beluga would set up a secret train connected to Folsense, but it's clear this item is very important to him. What could it be?

Solved

Beluga was searching for the Elysian Box, which he believed would clue him in on the location of the Herzen family fortune. As a member of the Herzen family, he felt entitled to any family riches, though some people in Folsense disagree strongly.

The Vampire In The CastleRumors have surfaced regarding a vampire said to live in the castle at the edge of town. Terrified by such talk, not a soul in Folsense dares to draw near the castle. Could a vampire actually be living up in Herzen Castle?

Solved

Anton invented the whole vampire scheme to scare off those who would try to loot the Herzen fortune. He did this by whisking away all those who came too close to the castle and setting them free to run away once properly scared.

The Goat EmblemA large, omnious symbol in the shape of a goat's head decorates the top of the Elysian Box. This same symbol can be spotted in some parts of Folsense. What connection exists between the box and the town?

Solved

The symbol is actually a crest belonging to the family who once ruled Folsense, the Herzens.
It's clear that the Herzen family and the Elysian Box are deeply connected to each other.